Giuliana Rancic To Spend New Year’s Eve In Times Square With Husband

Giuliana Rancic is ready to say goodbye to the past and hello to her future. The “E! News” host, who recently underwent a double mastectomy, is set to join her husband, Bill Rancic, in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve to usher in 2012.

“This has been a very difficult year for them. But they agreed months ago to host the Nivea ‘Kiss of a Lifetime’ contest, where America’s most deserving couple will join them in Times Square on New Year’s Eve for the year’s most spectacular kiss, and that’s exactly what they intend to do,” a friend of the couple tells me. “Of course, after Giuliana’s surgery they discussed moving forward with the event, and have decided there is nowhere they would rather be than standing strong and in love together to ring in the New Year.”

Giuliana, who will announce the Nivea contest winners on NBC’s New Year’s Eve telecast, has thanked fans for their prayers as she recovers from her surgery.

“My big surgery was exactly one week ago today (December 13),” she tweeted. “I’m recovering better than I had hoped thanks in big part to your prayers & love.”

Giuliana returned to work at E! after Christmas, receiving a warm welcome.

“Back at work today since surgery. Excited to be on set of @ENews. I’ve missed my 2nd family (co-workers and you guys!!!) #thankful,” she tweeted on Dec. 27.

The couple appeared on the “Today Show” Friday to give fans an update on Giuliana’s recovery, and Bill couldn’t have spoken more highly of his wife.

“She wanted to turn a negative into a positive. If you can save one life through this process, it’s worth it,” he said.

And even with more than 2 million Twitter followers, Giuliana won’t find a bigger fan than Bill.

“He has been by her side the entire time and won’t be leaving any time soon,” a friend tells me. “If Nivea is looking for the most deserving couple to kiss live in Times Square, they have found them. The ‘Kiss of a Lifetime’ will be between Giuliana and Bill.”

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